System and method for transmitting information about task to external device

ABSTRACT

A method and a system for an external device with information about a task being performed by a user device are provided. The method includes receiving information about the task being performed by the user device, identifying a plurality of external devices located near a wearable device of a user of the user device, determining a first external device to continuously perform the task from among the plurality of external devices based on the information about the task and characteristics information about the identified external devices, and transmitting the information about the task to the first external device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application is a continuation application of prior application Ser.No. 14/982,424, filed on Dec. 29, 2015 and claimed the benefit under 35U.S.C. §119(a) of a Korean patent application filed on Jan. 5, 2015 inthe Korean Intellectual Property Office and assigned Ser. No.10-2015-0000860, the entire disclosure of each of which is herebyincorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a method of providing an externaldevice with information about a task that is being performed by using adevice and a system including the device and the external device.

BACKGROUND

Due to improvement in performance of devices and peripheral devices,various functions may be provided by using the devices and theperipheral devices. In addition, as communication technology isdeveloped, a device can be connected to other external devices usingvarious wireless communication methods. However, as devices and alsotasks performed by using the devices become more diversified, it isdifficult to perform various tasks being performed by each of thedevices comprehensively and also, tasks are sometimes synchronized by anetwork such as a cloud without considering characteristics of devices.Thus, a user needs to predict what task is to be performed by usingwhich device and synchronize tasks with respective devices in advance tothereby continuously perform the tasks.

The above information is presented as background information only toassist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determinationhas been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the abovemight be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.

SUMMARY

Aspects of the present disclosure are to address at least theabove-mentioned problems and/or disadvantages and to provide at leastthe advantages described below. Accordingly, an aspect of the presentdisclosure is to provide methods of receiving information about a taskbeing performed by using a device and providing an external device withinformation about the task, wherein the methods are performed by using aserver.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide systems includinga device performing a task, a plurality of external devices located nearthe device, and a server receiving information about the task andproviding an external device determined to be suitable to perform thetask, with the information about the task.

Additional aspects will be set forth in part in the description whichfollows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may belearned by practice of the presented various embodiments.

In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, a method ofproviding an external device with information about a task beingperformed by a user device, wherein the method is performed by using aserver is provided. The method includes receiving, by the server,information about the task being performed by the user device,identifying a plurality of external devices located near a wearabledevice of a user of the user device, determining a first external deviceto continuously perform the task from among the plurality of externaldevices based on the information about the task and characteristicsinformation about the identified external devices, and transmitting theinformation about the task to the first external device.

The identifying of the plurality of external devices may includeidentifying a plurality of external devices located near the wearabledevice by receiving information about distances between the wearabledevice and the plurality of external devices, the information aboutdistances being received from the plurality of external devices thathave received a short range wireless communication signal from thewearable device.

The information about the distances between the wearable device and theplurality of external devices may be received from the plurality ofexternal devices via a wireless communication signal that is differentfrom the short range wireless communication signal.

The information about the distances between the wearable device and theplurality of external devices may be obtained based on short rangewireless communication signals transmitted by the plurality of externaldevices and received by the wearable device, wherein a distance iscalculable from each short range wireless communication signal.

The information about the distances between the wearable device and theplurality of external devices may include device identificationinformation of each of the plurality of external devices.

The information about the distances between the wearable device and theplurality of external devices may include information indicating whethereach of the plurality of external devices is on an active status forreceiving the information about the task and for performing a functionrelated to the task.

The short range wireless communication signal may include authenticationinformation for identifying the user.

The information about the task performed by the user device may includeinformation about a type of a task performed by using the user of thedevice and history information about an external device that performsthe task.

The determining of the first external device may be performed byanalyzing a pattern for performing the task of the user based on thetype of the task and at least one of the history information of theexternal device that performed, is currently performing, or is scheduledto perform, the task.

The method may further include continuously performing the task includedin the information about the task by using the first external device.

The continuous performing of the task may include transmitting userauthentication information used to receive content related to the taskfrom a content providing server to the first external device, receivingthe content from the content providing server by using the userauthentication information, and executing the content.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a systemfor transmitting information about a task being performed, betweendifferent devices is provided. The system includes a device configuredto perform a task, a plurality of external devices located near a userwho is using the device, and a server configured to receive informationabout the task being performed by using the device and transmit theinformation about the task to one of the plurality of external devices,wherein the server determines one of the plurality of external devicesas a first external device to continuously perform the task based on theinformation about the task and characteristics information of each ofthe plurality of external devices.

The system may further include a wearable device worn and used by theuser, wherein the wearable device identifies the plurality of externaldevices located near the wearable device.

The wearable device may transmit a short range wireless communicationsignal to the plurality of external devices located near the wearabledevice.

The plurality of external devices may receive a short range wirelesscommunication signal from the wearable device, and calculate distancesbetween the wearable device and the plurality of external devices andtransmit information about the distances to the server.

The server may include a controller configured to determine the firstexternal device by analyzing a task performing pattern of the user basedon the type of the task and history information about an external devicethat performed the task.

The first external device continuously may perform the task according tothe received information about the task.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a method ofproviding an external device with information about a task beingperformed by using a device is provided. The method includes storinginformation about the task being performed by using the device,identifying a plurality of external devices located near the device,determining a first external device suitable to continuously perform thetask from among the identified plurality of external devices based onthe information about the task and characteristics of the identifiedexternal devices, and transmitting the information about the task to thefirst external device.

In accordance to another aspect of the present disclosure, anon-transitory computer readable recording medium having embodiedthereon a program for executing on a computer the method described aboveis provided.

Other aspects, advantages, and salient features of the disclosure willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings,discloses various embodiments of the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of certainembodiments of the present disclosure will be more apparent from thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a system in which a device, which isperforming a task, transmits information about the task to an externaldevice located near the device via a server according to an embodimentof the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method of transmitting information about atask that is being performed by using a device to an external devicelocated near the device via a server, wherein the method is performed byusing the device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method of providing a server with informationabout distances between a wearable device and an external device locatednear the wearable device, wherein the method is performed by using thewearable device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates an example in which a wearable device transmits awireless signal to a plurality of external devices, and the plurality ofexternal devices that have received the wireless signal transmitinformation about distances between the wearable device and theplurality of external devices to a server according to an embodiment ofthe present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a method of transmitting, performed by using awearable device, a signal indicating whether an external device locatednear the wearable device is activated, to the external device, and amethod of providing, performed by using the external device, a serverwith the information according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method of receiving, performed by using aserver, device information and information about a task performinghistory from a device and determining, performed by using the server, adevice suitable to perform the task from among external devices based onthe device information and the task history information according to anembodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of information about a task according toan embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a method of providing, performed by using adevice, an external device with information about a task that was beingperformed by using the device, via a content providing server, andcontinuously performing, performed by using a first external device, thetask by using the content providing server according to an embodiment ofthe present disclosure;

FIG. 9 illustrates an example in which a first external device receivesinformation about a task from a server and continuously performs thetask by using a content providing server according to an embodiment ofthe present disclosure;

FIG. 10A illustrates an example where a moving picture that was beingprovided by using a device by using a content providing server, iscontinuously provided by using a first external device according to anembodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 10B illustrates an example where an email that was being written byusing a device by using a content providing server, is continuouslywritten by using a second external device according to an embodiment ofthe present disclosure;

FIG. 10C illustrates an example where a game that was being played byusing a device by using a content providing server, is continuouslyplayed by using a third external device according to an embodiment ofthe present disclosure;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a method of providing an external device withinformation about a task performed by using a device according to anembodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating a device according to anembodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating a server according to anembodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating a wearable device according toan embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 15 is a block diagram illustrating an external device according toan embodiment of the present disclosure.

Throughout the drawings, like reference numerals will be understood torefer to like parts, components, and structures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings isprovided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of variousembodiments of the present disclosure as defined by the claims and theirequivalents. It includes various specific details to assist in thatunderstanding but these are to be regarded as merely exemplary.Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize thatvarious changes and modifications of the various embodiments describedherein can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of thepresent disclosure. In addition, descriptions of well-known functionsand constructions may be omitted for clarity and conciseness.

The terms and words used in the following description and claims are notlimited to the bibliographical meanings, but, are merely used by theinventor to enable a clear and consistent understanding of the presentdisclosure. Accordingly, it should be apparent to those skilled in theart that the following description of various embodiments of the presentdisclosure is provided for illustration purpose only and not for thepurpose of limiting the present disclosure as defined by the appendedclaims and their equivalents.

It is to be understood that the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the”include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.Thus, for example, reference to “a component surface” includes referenceto one or more of such surfaces.

The attached drawings for illustrating various embodiments of thepresent disclosure are referred to in order to gain a sufficientunderstanding of the present disclosure, the merits thereof, and theobjectives accomplished by the implementation of the present disclosure.Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in detail byexplaining various embodiments of the present disclosure with referenceto the attached drawings. Like reference numerals in the drawings denotelike elements.

In the present specification, when a constituent element “connects” oris “connected” to another constituent element, the constituent elementcontacts or is connected to the other constituent element not onlydirectly but also electrically through at least one of other constituentelements interposed there between. Also, when a part is said to“include” a certain constituent element, unless specified otherwise, itmay not be construed to exclude another constituent element but may beconstrued to further include other constituent elements.

In addition, a device or an external device described in the presentspecification may be, for example, a smartphone, a mobile phone, atablet personal computer (PC), a personal digital assistant (PDA), alaptop computer, a PC, a global positioning system (GPS), or othermobile or non-mobile devices, but is not limited thereto. In addition,for example, the device may be a smartphone or a tablet PC, and theexternal device may include home appliance or various devices installedat home. The external device is a concept distinguished from a deviceused by a user in an embodiment of the present disclosure, and mayreceive information about a task being performed by using the device.Examples of the external device may include, without limitation, atelevision (TV), a tablet PC, a laptop computer, an illumination, arefrigerator, audio equipment, a washing machine, an oven, a gas range,a home gateway, a game player, an electronic blackboard, and a touchtable.

In addition, in the present specification, a task performed by using adevice may be an operation performed by using the device, for example,an operation performed via a predetermined application. The task may be,for example, playing a moving picture, playing music, writing an email,drafting a document, receiving weather information, displaying newsinformation, executing a game, or taking a picture, which is performedby using the device via an operation of an application. However, thetask is not limited to these listed examples.

In addition, in the present specification, information about the taskmay include a type of the task, a type of a service provided via thetask, a type of an application executed to perform the task, a type of adevice that performs the task, identification information of a deviceperforming the task, performance information of a device performing thetask, authentication information of a user of the task, a type ofcontent related to performing of the task, capacity information of thecontent, resolution information of the content, uniform resource locator(URL) information for receiving the content, and information about aninput device used to perform the task.

In addition, in the present specification, only a first external device4100 and a second external device 4200 are illustrated and describedfrom among a plurality of external devices 4000, or a third externaldevice 4300 is illustrated in some embodiments. However, the variousembodiments are not limited thereto. According to various embodiments ofthe present disclosure, the plurality of external devices 4000 mayinclude four or more external devices.

Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in detail withreference to the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a system in which a device 1000, which isperforming a task, transmits information about the task to an externaldevice 4000 located near the device 1000 via a server 2000 according toan embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 1, the system for transmitting information about atask, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, may includethe device 1000, the server 2000, a wearable device 3000, and aplurality of external devices 4000. The plurality of external devices4000 may include a first external device 4100, a second external device4200, and a third external device 4300.

Referring to FIG. 1, a task performed by using the device 1000 may passthrough the server 2000 and be continuously performed by using one ofthe external devices 4000. In detail, information about a task performedby using the device 1000 may be transmitted to one of the plurality ofexternal devices 4000, which is, for example, the second external device4200, and the second external device 4200 that has received theinformation about the task may continuously perform the task based onthe information about the task. The device 1000 and the server 2000 orthe server 2000 and the plurality of external devices 4000 may beconnected to each other in a wired or wireless manner. While the device1000 and the server 2000 or the server 2000 and the plurality ofexternal devices 4000 may be connected to each other via at least onecommunication method from among, for example, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth,Bluetooth low energy (BLE), near field communication (NFC), radiofrequency identification (RFID), or data communication via a cellularnetwork, the communication method is not limited thereto. In addition,the device 1000 and the server 2000 or the server 2000 and the pluralityof external devices 4000 may be connected to each other via, forexample, an optical cable, an unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable, acoaxial cable or a socket, but are not limited thereto.

The device 1000 may be, for example, a mobile computing device having acommunication function such as a smartphone or a tablet PC. The device1000 may store, for example, a type of the task, a type of anapplication operated to perform the task, a type of content included inthe task, URL information for receiving the content, and performancehistory information of the task. The device 1000 may transmitinformation about the task to the server 2000.

The wearable device 3000 may identify a plurality of external devices4000 located near the wearable device 3000. The wearable device 3000 maybe a computing device that can be worn on a portion of the body of auser. The wearable device 3000 may be, for example, a watch, glasses ora hair band having a communication function and a data processingfunction, but is not limited thereto. The wearable device 3000 may beconnected to the plurality of external devices 4000 in a wired orwireless manner. The wearable device 3000 may, for example, transmit ashort range wireless communication signal to the plurality of externaldevices 4000 or receive a wireless communication signal transmitted bythe plurality of external devices 4000. The wearable device 3000 maystore authentication information of a user of the device 1000 so thatthe user may continuously perform the task by using one of the pluralityof external devices 4000.

The server 2000 may receive information about a task that is beingperformed by using the device 1000, and receive from the wearable device3000 an information value about a distance with respect to the pluralityof external devices 4000 located near the wearable device 3000 and anidentification value of each of the plurality of external devices 4000.Also, the server 2000 may transmit information about the task to one ofthe plurality of external devices 4000. According to an embodiment ofthe present disclosure, the server 2000 may transmit information aboutthe task to the second external device 4200.

The plurality of external devices 4000 may include the first externaldevice 4100, the second external device 4200, and the third externaldevice 4300, but are not limited thereto. Examples of the plurality ofexternal devices 4000 may include a TV, a tablet PC, a laptop computer,an illumination, a refrigerator, audio equipment, a washing machine, anoven, a gas range, a home gateway, a game player, an electronicblackboard, and a touch table. Referring to the embodiment of FIG. 1,the first external device 4100 may be a laptop computer, the secondexternal device 4200 may be a TV, and the third external device 4300 maybe a tablet PC.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the device1000 is a smartphone and a user of the device 1000 who is performing atask T of watching a movie by using the device 1000 enters a home, thewearable device 3000 may identify a plurality of external devices 4000located near the wearable device 3000, and the server 2000 may providethe second external device 4200, for example, a TV, with informationsuch as a capacity of movie content, a resolution of the movie content,a playback length of the movie content, URL information of a server thatprovides the movie content, from the device 1000, so that the task T maybe continuously performed, that is, so that the movie content may becontinuously played on the TV.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method of transmitting information about atask that is being performed by using a device 1000 to an externaldevice 4000 located near the device via a server 2000, wherein themethod is performed by using the device 1000 according to an embodimentof the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 2, in operation S200, the device 1000 provides theserver 2000 with information about a task that was being performed byusing the device 1000. The device 1000 may perform a task, for example,of playing a moving picture, playing music, writing an email, drafting adocument, receiving weather information, displaying news information,executing a game, or taking a picture. The information about the taskmay include, for example, a type of the task, a type of a serviceprovided via the task, a type of an application operated to perform thetask, identification information of the device 1000, performanceinformation of the device 1000, authentication information of a user ofthe task, and a type of content included in the task.

The device 1000 may provide the server 2000 with the information aboutthe task in a wired or wireless manner. The device 1000 may transmit theinformation about the task by using at least one wireless communicationmethod from among, for example, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, BLE, NFC, RFID, anddata communication via a cellular network or by using at least one wiredcommunication method such as a communication method via an opticalcable, a UTP cable, or a coaxial cable.

In operations S210 and S215, the wearable device 3000 transmits a shortrange wireless communication signal to each of the plurality of externaldevices 4000. The wearable device 3000 may transmit a short rangewireless communication signal so as to identify the plurality ofexternal devices 4000 located near the wearable device 3000.

The short range wireless communication signal may include a beacon, NFC,ZigBee communication, RFID communication, ultra-wide band (UWB)communication, and Bluetooth communication, but is not limited thereto.According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the wearabledevice 3000 may transmit a beacon message to each of the first externaldevice 4100 and the second external device 4200.

In operations S220 and S225, the plurality of external devices 4000transmits an information value about a distance between each of theplurality of external devices 4000 and the wearable device 3000 to theserver 2000. The server 2000 identifies the plurality of externaldevices 4000 located near the wearable device 3000 based on the receivedinformation value about the distance between each of the plurality ofexternal devices 4000 and the wearable device 3000.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first externaldevice 4100 may transmit an information value about a distance betweenthe wearable device 3000 and the first external device 4100 to theserver 2000. Likewise, the second external device 4200 may transmit aninformation value about a distance between the wearable device 3000 andthe second external device 4200 to the server 2000. According to anembodiment of the present disclosure, the first external device 4100 andthe second external device 4200 may transmit the information value aboutthe distance in a wireless manner. For example, the first externaldevice 4100 and the second external device 4200 may transmit theinformation value about the distance to the server 2000 via at least oneof Wi-Fi, data communication via a cellular network, a beacon, NFC,ZigBee communication, RFID communication, UWB communication, andBluetooth communication.

Information about a distance between the wearable device 3000 and thefirst external device 4100 and a distance between the wearable device3000 and the second external device 4200 may be calculated based onwireless communication signals that are respectively transmitted by thefirst external device 4100 and the second external device 4200 and ashort range wireless communication signal that is received by thewearable device 3000, wherein each of the distances between the wearabledevice 3000 and the first external device 4100 and between the wearabledevice 3000 and the second external device 4200 is calculable from theshort range wireless communication signal.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a wirelesscommunication signal transmitted by the first external device 4100 andthe second external device 4200 to the server 2000 may be different froma short range wireless communication signal transmitted by the wearabledevice 3000 to the first external device 4100 and the second externaldevice 4200 in operations S210 and S215. In detail, a wirelesscommunication signal transmitted by each of the first and secondexternal devices 4100 and 4200 to the server 2000 may include deviceidentification information of each of the first external device 4100 andthe second external device 4200. For example, the device identificationinformation may include at least one of information about functions ofthe plurality of external devices 4000, information about acommunication method available to the plurality of external devices4000, connection information for connecting the plurality of externaldevices 4000 with the wearable device 3000, information about anapplication installed on the plurality of external devices 4000, andinformation about an application for controlling the plurality ofexternal devices 4000, but is not limited thereto. According to anembodiment of the present disclosure, the device identificationinformation may include an identification value (e.g., a subsystemidentifier (SSID)) of each device. The server 2000 may receive thedevice identification information to thereby obtain information aboutthe external device 4000 identified by the wearable device 3000.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, information abouta distance between the wearable device 3000 and the first externaldevice 4100 and a distance between the wearable device 3000 and thesecond external device 4200 may include information indicating whethereach of the first external device 4100 and the second external device4200 is on an active status for receiving information about a task andfor performing function related to the task.

In operation S230, the server 2000 may analyze properties of the taskand characteristics of each of the plurality of external devices 4000 soas to determine a device that is suitable to continuously perform thetask.

The properties of the task may be analyzed based on the informationabout the task received from the device 1000 in operation S200. Examplesof the properties of the task may include a type of the task, a type ofa service provided to perform the task, a type of an applicationoperated to perform the task, authentication information of a user ofthe task, a type of content included in the task, capacity informationof the content, resolution information of the content, URL informationfor receiving the content, and information about an input device used toperform the task.

Analysis of characteristics of each of the plurality of external devices4000 may include analysis of a type of a device that performs the task,identification information of a device performing the task, performanceinformation of the device performing the task, a type of content used toperform the task, capacity information of the content, utilizationcapability of the device for utilizing the content, and informationindicating whether an input device used to perform the task is availableor not.

The server 2000 may determine an external device suitable tocontinuously perform a task by analyzing characteristics of each of theplurality of external devices 4000 and a use pattern of a user of thedevice. The use pattern will be described later with reference to FIG.6.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the server 2000may analyze the properties of the task and the characteristics of eachof the plurality of external devices 4000 so as to determine the firstexternal device 4100 as a device suitable to continuously perform thetask. However, this is, and the server 2000 may also determine thesecond external device 4200 or one of the plurality of external devices4000 which is not shown, as a device suitable to continuously performthe task.

In operation S240, the server 2000 transmits the information about thetask to the device determined in operation S230.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the server 2000may transmit the information about the task to the first external device4100 in a wired or wireless manner. For example, the server 2000 maytransmit the information about the task to the first external device4100 via at least one wireless communication method from among, forexample, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, BLE, NFC, RFID, and wireless datacommunication or via at least one wired communication method such as acommunication method via an optical cable, a UTP cable, or a coaxialcable.

In operation S250, the first external device 4100 continuously performsthe task based on the information about the task received from theserver 2000. The first external device 4100 may continuously perform thetask which was being performed by using the device 1000 after a point oftime when the device 1000 has transmitted the information about the taskto the server 2000. For example, if the task is playback of a movingpicture, the first external device 4100 may play the moving picture froma point when the device 1000 was transmitting information about playingthe moving picture to the server 2000.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method of providing a server 2000 withinformation about a distance between a wearable device 3000 and anexternal device 4000 located near the wearable device 3000, wherein themethod is performed by using the wearable device 3000 according to anembodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 3, the wearable device 3000 may transmit a short rangewireless communication signal including user identification informationto each of a plurality of external devices 4000, and each of theplurality of external devices 4000 may transmit, for example,identification information of the plurality of external devices 4000 orinformation about a distance between the wearable device 3000 and eachof the plurality of external devices 4000 to the server 2000. The server2000 may determine a distance between each of the plurality of externaldevices 4000 and the wearable device 3000.

In operations S300 and S305, the wearable device 3000 transmits a shortrange wireless communication signal including identification informationof a user who is using the wearable device 3000 to the first externaldevice 4100 and the second external device 4200. According to anembodiment of the present disclosure, the wearable device 3000 may beused by being worn on a portion of the body of the user such as thewrist or the head. The wearable device 3000 may transmit the useridentification information to the first external device 4100 and thesecond external device 4200 via, for example, a beacon, NFC, ZigBeecommunication, RFID communication, UWB communication or Bluetoothcommunication. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, thewearable device 3000 may transmit a beacon signal to an external devicelocated near the wearable device 3000, and the first external device4100 and the second external device 4200 may be located near thewearable device 3000. The user identification information may indicateuser authentication information whereby the user of the wearable device3000 is identifiable. For example, the user identification informationmay indicate an ID and password information of the user who wears thewearable device 3000 to use the same.

In operation S310, the first external device 4100 transmits deviceidentification information of the first external device 4100,information about a distance between the wearable device 3000 and thefirst external device 4100, and user identification information, to theserver 2000. In operation S315, the second external device 4200transmits device identification information of the second externaldevice 4200, information about a distance between the wearable device3000 and the second external device 4200, and user identificationinformation, to the server 2000. The device identification informationmay include, for example, an SSID or a model number, but is not limitedthereto.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a wirelesscommunication signal transmitted by the first external device 4100 andthe second external device 4200 to the server 2000 may be a differentcommunication signal from a short range wireless communication signaltransmitted by the wearable device 3000 in operations S300 and S305 tothe first external device 4100 and the second external device 4200.

In operation S320, the server 2000 determines a distance between thewearable device 3000 and the first external device 4100 and a distancebetween the wearable device 3000 and the second external device 4200.The server 2000 may determine the distance between the wearable device3000 and the first external device 4100 and the distance between thewearable device 3000 and the second external device 4200 based on thedevice identification information and the information about the distancereceived from each of the first external device 4100 and the secondexternal device 4200.

In operation S330, the server 2000 identifies an external device locatednear the wearable device 3000, from among the plurality of externaldevices 4000. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure,external devices located near the wearable device 3000 may be the firstexternal device 4100 and the second external device 4200. The server2000 may identify the first external device 4100 and the second externaldevice 4200 based on the received device identification information suchas an SSID or a device model number.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example in which the wearable device 3000described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 3 transmits a shortrange wireless signal to the plurality of external devices 4100 and4200, and the plurality of external devices 4100 and 4200 that havereceived the short range wireless signal transmit information about adistance between the wearable device 3000 and the plurality of externaldevices 4100 and 4200 to the server 2000 according to an embodiment ofthe present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 4, the wearable device 3000 may transmit a short rangewireless communication signal to the first external device 4100 and thesecond external device 4200 located near the wearable device 3000.According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the wearabledevice 3000 may be a mobile computing device that is in the form of awatch having a communication function and a data processing function andis worn on the wrist. Also, according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure, the first external device 4100 may be a laptop computer, andthe second external device 4200 may be a TV having a wirelesscommunication function, but the various embodiments of the presentdisclosure are not limited thereto. Details other than those describedabove have been described with reference to operations S300 and S305,and thus a description thereof will not be repeated here.

The first external device 4100 and the second external device 4200 maytransmit device identification information of the first external device4100, information about a distance between the wearable device 3000 andthe first external device 4100, and user identification information tothe server 2000. Description already provided with reference tooperations S310 and S315 will be omitted here.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a method of transmitting, performed by using awearable device 3000, a signal indicating whether an external device4000 located near the wearable device 3000 is activated, to the externaldevice 4000, and a method of providing, performed by using the externaldevice 4000, a server 2000 with the information according to anembodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 5, in operations S500 and S505, the wearable device3000 transmits a short range wireless communication signal including asignal indicating whether a device is activated (presence signal), to aplurality of external devices 4000. According to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure, the short range wireless communication signal mayinclude the presence signal which is a signal indicating whether each ofthe plurality of external devices 4000 is on an active status forreceiving information about a task from the server 2000 and performing afunction related to the task. An external device that has received thepresence signal indicating whether the external device is on the activestatus, that is, a first external device 4100 and a second externaldevice 4200 according to the present embodiment of the presentdisclosure, may respectively transmit a signal indicating whether thefirst external device 4100 is activated and a signal indicating whetherthe second external device 4200 is activated, to the server 2000.

In operations S510 and S515, the first external device 4100 and thesecond external device 4200 respectively transmit the signal indicatingwhether the first external device 4100 is activated and the signalindicating whether the second external device 4200 is activated to theserver 2000. Also, the first external device 4100 and the secondexternal device 4200 respectively transmit device identificationinformation of the first external device 4100 and device identificationinformation of the second external device 4200 (e.g., an SSID, a devicemodel number, etc.) to the server 2000.

Information indicating whether the first external device 4100 and thesecond external device 4200 are activated may include informationindicating whether a function whereby the first external device 4100 andthe second external device 4200 are able to receive information about atask from the server 2000 or to perform a task. The information may bean important criterion for determining whether the first external device4100 and the second external device 4200 are able to continuouslyperform a task that was being performed by using the device 1000 afterthe first external device 4100 and the second external device 4200 aresynchronized with the device 1000 (see FIG. 1). For example, an externaldevice that does not transmit the information about activation, fromamong the plurality of external devices 4000, may not be able to receiveinformation about a task of the device 1000 stored by using the server2000, and is in a state of being unable to continuously perform thetask.

In operation S520, the server 2000 may receive information indicatingwhether the plurality of external devices 4000 are activated, from theplurality of external devices 4000 so as to determine whether theplurality of external devices 4000 are activated. According to anembodiment of the present disclosure, the server 2000 may determinewhether the first external device 4100 and the second external device4200 are activated based on information indicating whether a function ofreceiving information about a task transmitted by each of the firstexternal device 4100 and the second external device 4200 and a functionof performing the task are activated. The server 2000 may identify onlya device that has transmitted a signal including the informationindicating whether the external devices 4000 are activated, from amongthe plurality of external devices 4000 and then may transmit informationabout a task to the external device that is in an activated state later(refer to FIG. 2 regarding transmission of information about a task).

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method of receiving, performed by using aserver 2000, device identification information and information about atask performing history from a device 1000 and determining, performed byusing the server 2000, a device suitable to perform the task from amongexternal devices 4000 based on the device identification information andthe information about the task performing history according to anembodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 6, in operations S600, S602, and S604, the device1000, a first external device 4100, and a second external device 4200respectively provide the server 2000 with device identificationinformation and information about a task performing history thereof. Indetail, the device 1000 may transmit identification information of thedevice 1000, for example, information such as an SSID or device modelnumber to the server 2000. Also, the device 1000 may transmit loginformation including, for example, information about a history of tasksthat have been performed by using the device 1000 such as the number oftimes of performing a task, a type of tasks performed according to adevice type, a type of a service received while performing a task, atype of an application used to perform a task, or URL information forreceiving content when a task for receiving the content is performed.Like the device 1000, the first external device 4100 and the secondexternal device 4200 may also transmit device identification informationand information about a task performing history thereof to the server2000. The device 1000, the first external device 4100, and the secondexternal device 4200 may provide the server 2000 with deviceidentification information and information about a task performinghistory thereof in a wired or wireless manner. The device 1000, thefirst external device 4100, and the second external device 4200 maytransmit the device identification information and the information abouta task performing history via at least one wireless communication methodsuch as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, BLE, NFC, RFID, or data communication via acellular network or using at least one wired communication method suchas a communication method via an optical cable, a UTP cable, and acoaxial cable.

In operation S610, the server 2000 analyzes a user pattern of eachdevice based on the device identification information and theinformation about a task performing history. According to an embodimentof the present disclosure, the server 2000 may analyze a deviceselection preference of a user according to a type of a task based onthe received device identification information and the receivedinformation about a task performing history. The server 2000 mayidentify the received device identification information to therebyanalyze information about device characteristics such as a type of adevice, a resolution of a device, a type of a task that a device is ableto perform, device performance, and an input device included in adevice. In addition, the server 2000 may analyze a use pattern includinga device preference by the user based on log information of a userincluding, for example, the number of times of performing a taskaccording to device types, a type of a task performed according todevice types, a type of a service received while performing a task, atype of an application used to perform a task, or URL information forreceiving content if a task of receiving the content is performed.

In operation S620, the device 1000 provides the server 2000 withinformation about a task performed by using the device 1000. The device1000 may perform a task of executing an application including, forexample, playing a moving picture, playing music, writing an email,drafting a document, receiving weather information, displaying newsinformation, executing a game, or taking a picture. Examples of theinformation about a task may include a type of the task, a type of aservice provided via the task, a type of an application operated toperform the task, identification information of the device 1000,performance information of the device 1000, authentication informationof a user of the task, and information about a type of content includedin the task.

In operation S630, the server 2000 determines an external devicesuitable to continuously perform the task that was being performed byusing the device 1000 based on analysis of characteristics of eachdevice and the use pattern of the user. In detail, the server 2000 maydetermine an external device to continuously perform the task that wasbeing performed by using the device 1000 from among a plurality ofexternal devices 4000 based on a device selection preference by the useraccording to characteristics of devices and characteristics of tasks.Analysis of the use pattern of the user according to the characteristicsof the devices and the characteristics of the tasks will be described indetail later with reference to FIG. 7.

In operation S640, the server 2000 transmits information about a task tothe first external device 4100. According to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure, the server 2000 may analyze device characteristicsand task logs of a user in operation S630 so as to select the firstexternal device 4100 as a device suitable to continuously perform thetask that was being performed by using the device 1000. The server 2000may transmit information about the task that was being performed byusing the device 1000 to the first external device 4100 via wired orwireless communication.

In operation S650, the first external device 4100 continuously performsthe task based on the information about the task received from theserver 2000. The first external device 4100 may continue performing thetask that was being performed by using the device 1000 from a point whenthe device 1000 transmitted the information about the task to the server2000.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of information about a task according toan embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 7, the information about the task includes a device IDfield 700, a task type field 710, an application field 720, a contentcapacity field 730, a content resolution field 740, a running time field750, a content URL field 760, an input device field 770, and anauthentication information field 780. However, the information about thetask is not limited to the above-listed fields.

The device ID field 700 may include device identification informationcorresponding to the device 1000 or the plurality of external devices4000. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the deviceID field 700 may include an SSID or a model number of a device. Forexample, the device ID field 700 may include device identificationinformation of a device such as a TV, a laptop computer, or a tablet PC.

The task type field 710 may include a task performed by a user by usingrespective devices. For example, the task type field 710 may include“watching movie,” “writing an email,” “drafting a document,” and“executing a game.”

The application field 720 may include information about a type of anapplication used by a user when the user performs a task. For example,the application field 720 may include an application type regarding anemail writing application, a Word application, or a game application.According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the user mayexecute an Outlook application to write an email, may execute a Wordprogram to draft a document, or execute a game to play Angry Birds.

The content capacity field 730 may include information about a capacityof content when the content is downloaded to perform a task. Forexample, capacity information such as 3.5 GB, 500 KB, 1.5 MB or 25 MBmay be included in the content capacity field 730. According to anembodiment of the present disclosure, when the user watches a movie, acapacity of a movie file downloaded from a content providing server maybe 3.5 GB. When writing an email, a capacity of the email may be 500 KB.When drafting a document, a capacity of the drafted document may be 1.5MB. When playing a game, a capacity of the game downloaded from a gameservice providing server may be 25 MB.

The content resolution field 740 may include information about aresolution of content when the content is downloaded to perform a task.For example, a resolution of the content may be 1920×1080 (Full HD),1024×768 (XGA) or 1280×720 (HD). According to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure, if a user watches a movie, a resolution of a moviefile downloaded from a content providing server may be 1920×1080, whichis a Full HD image. If a user writes an email or drafts a document, aresolution may be 1024×768 which is XGA resolution, and if a user playsa game, a screen of a game downloaded from a game service providingserver may have a resolution of 1280×720 which is HD resolution.

The running time field 750 may include a running time indicating aprocessing degree of a task that was being performed. For example, inthe case of playing a movie, the time period that the movie was played,that is, a playback length may be recorded. Also, when writing an emailor drafting a document, information such as pages of the email or thedocument or the number of written lines may be recorded. In the case ofplaying a game, information about a degree of progress in the game, thatis, information about the level of the game may be recorded. Accordingto an embodiment of the present disclosure, if a user watches a movie, aplayback length of the movie, which is for example 1 h 8 min 25 sec, maybe recorded. If a user writes an email or drafts a document, informationindicating that the email or the document is written to 1 page and 15lines may be recorded, and if a user plays a game, informationindicating that the game has progressed to level 5 may be recorded.

The content URL field 760 may include information about a URL address ofa server that provides content if the content is downloaded to perform atask.

The input device field 770 may include information about an input deviceused to perform a task. For example, the input device field 770 mayinclude information such as a remote controller when watching a movievia TV, a keyboard or a mouse when writing an email or drafting adocument by using a laptop computer, or a touch input when playing agame by using a tablet PC.

The authentication information field 780 may include informationindicating whether authentication information is necessary for a user toperform a task.

Information included in various fields described above may be analyzedby using the server 2000 together with characteristics of devices. Theserver 2000 may determine, from among the plurality of external devices4000, an external device that is suitable to continuously perform a taskthat was being performed by using the device 1000 based on theinformation about the task. For example, if the device 1000 is asmartphone, and a user who was performing a task of watching a movie byusing the device 1000 enters home, the server 2000 may analyze acapacity of movie content, a resolution of the movie content, a playbacklength of the movie content, URL information of a server that providesthe movie content or the like, from the device 1000 and provide theabove-described information to the TV so that the movie is continuouslyplayed on a TV. In addition, for example, when the device 1000 performsa task of writing an email, the server 2000 may analyze a type of anapplication for writing an email, resolution information of the email,input device information or the like and determine a laptop computer tocontinuously write the email and provide the laptop computer with theabove-described information. Also, the information about the task may beused by one of the plurality of external devices 4000 to determine anapplication to execute content. For example, the third external device4300 (see FIG. 1) may be determined to perform a game application thatwas being performed by using the device 1000.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a method of providing, performed by using adevice 1000, an external device 4000 with information about a task thatwas being performed by using the device 1000, via a content providingserver 5000, and continuously performing, performed by using a firstexternal device 4100, the task by using the content providing server5000 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 8, in operation S800, the device 1000 provides theserver 2000 with user authentication information for using contentprovided by using the content providing server 5000 and informationabout a task that was being performed by using the device 1000. Thedevice 1000 may perform a task for executing an application such asplaying a moving picture, playing music, writing an email, receivingweather information, displaying news information, and executing a game.The device 1000 may download content from the content providing server5000 when performing the task. The content providing server 5000 mayprovide content such as a movie, music or a game. The device 1000 maystore user authentication information for using the content from thecontent providing server 5000. The device 1000 may provide the server2000 with the user authentication information. Also, the device 1000 mayprovide the server 2000 with information about a task performed via thecontent providing server 5000. The information about the task mayinclude information included in various fields, such as the task typefield 710, the application field 720, or the like. User authenticationinformation for using the content may include, for example, informationabout an ID or a password registered to the content providing server5000.

The device 1000 may provide the server 2000 with user authenticationinformation or information about a task in a wired or wireless manner.The device 1000 may transmit the user authentication information and theinformation about the task to the server 2000 via at least one wirelesscommunication method such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, BLE, NFC, RFID, and datacommunication via a cellular network or via at least one wiredcommunication method such as a communication method via an opticalcable, a UTP cable, or a coaxial cable.

In operation S810, the server 2000 determines an external device that issuitable to continuously perform the task that was being performed byusing the device 1000 by using characteristics of a plurality ofexternal devices 4000 and information about content provided by usingthe content providing server 5000. Characteristics of the plurality ofexternal devices 4000 may include, for example, device identificationinformation of the plurality of external devices 4000 (e.g., an SSID ora model number), device performance, or device resolution information.The information about the content may include, for example, a type ofthe content, an application in which the content is executed, a capacityof the content, a resolution of the content, or URL information of aserver providing the content.

In operation S820, the server 2000 identifies an external device (e.g.,the first external device 4100) suitable to continuously perform thetask that was being performed by using the device 1000. However, theserver 2000 may also determine the second external device 4200, oranother external device, as an external device to continuously performthe task.

In operation S830, the wearable device 3000 identifies the plurality ofexternal devices 4000 located near the wearable device 3000. Accordingto an embodiment of the present disclosure, the wearable device 3000 maytransmit a short range wireless communication signal including userauthentication information which is able to receive the content via thecontent providing server 5000, to the plurality of external devices 4000located near the wearable device 3000. Also, the plurality of externaldevices 4000 that have received the short range wireless communicationsignal may transmit an information value about a distance between thewearable device 3000 and each of the plurality of external devices 4000to the server 2000. That is, the wearable device 3000 may identifyexternal devices around the wearable device 3000 by using the samemethod as described with reference to operations S300, S305, S310, andS315 of FIG. 3. Thus, repeated description will be omitted here.

In operation S840, the server 2000 transmits information about a taskand user authentication information to the first external device 4100.The user authentication information may include authenticationinformation via which a user of the first external device 4100 maydownload content from the content providing server 5000 and use thecontent. However, this is various, and the server 2000 may transmitinformation about a task and user authentication information to thesecond external device 4200 or another external device.

In operation S850, the first external device 4100 analyzes the receiveduser authentication information and the received information about thetask. The first external device 4100 may analyze, for example, a type ofcontent, an application in which the content is executed, a capacity ofthe content, a resolution of the content, a URL information of a serverproviding the content, and user authentication information used for thecontent providing server 5000 in order to use the content.

In operation S860, the first external device 4100 may provide thecontent providing server 5000 with user authentication information, andrequests from the content providing server 5000 content so as tocontinuously perform the task that was being performed by using thedevice 1000.

In operation S870, the content providing server 5000 authenticates auser of the first external device 4100. According to an embodiment ofthe present disclosure, the content providing server 5000 mayauthenticate the user of the first external device 4100 based on theuser authentication information received from the first external device4100. For example, the user authentication information may includeinformation about an ID or a password registered to the contentproviding server 5000.

In operation S880, the content providing server 5000 provides the firstexternal device 4100 with content related to performing the task.According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the contentproviding server 5000 may continuously provide the first external device4100 with the content that the user has been receiving from the device1000, based on the user authentication information received from thefirst external device 4100. For example, when the content providingserver 5000 provides the device 1000 with movie content, the device 1000stores a playback length log value corresponding up to a point when thedevice 1000 was transmitting information about a task of providing themovie content to the server 2000, and when the first external device4100 requests the content via user authentication information, thedevice 1000 may continuously provide the first external device 4100 withthe movie content by using the stored log value.

In operation S890, the first external device 4100 performs the task thatuses the content received from the content providing server 5000.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example in which a first external device 4100receives information about a task from a server 2000 and continuouslyperforms the task by using a content providing server 5000 according toan embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 9, as an example, the first external device 4100 maybe a laptop computer, a second external device 4200 may be a TV, and athird external device 4300 may be a tablet PC. The server 2000 maytransmit information about a task that was being performed by using thedevice 1000 (see FIG. 8) and user authentication information forrequesting content from the content providing server 5000 to each of thefirst external device 4100, the second external device 4200, and thethird external device 4300 (operations S842, S844, and S846). Accordingto an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second external device4200 may transmit user authentication information for requesting contentfrom the content providing server 5000, to the content providing server5000, and may request from the content providing server 5000 content forperforming the task in operation S860. The content providing server 5000may provide the second external device 4200 with content related toperforming of the task in operation S880. Details other than thosedescribed above have been described with respective operations of FIG.8, and thus a description thereof will not be repeated here.

FIGS. 10A through 10C respectively illustrate examples where informationabout tasks of playing a moving picture, writing an email, and executinga game is transmitted from a device 1000 to a plurality of externaldevices 4000 via a server 2000 so that the tasks are continuouslyperformed on one or more of the plurality of external devices 4000according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 10A, the device 1000 may perform a task T1 of playinga moving picture. The device 1000 may download content of the movingpicture from the content providing server 5000 to perform the task T1.According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the device 1000transmits user authentication information for downloading the content tothe content providing server 5000 and requests the moving picturecontent in operation S1000. The content providing server 5000 analyzesthe user authentication information received from the device 1000 andprovides the device 1000 with the content of the moving picture based onthe user authentication information in operation S1010. The device 1000transmits the user authentication information and information about thetask T1 to the server 2000 in operation S1020. The information about thetask T1 may include, for example, a capacity of the moving picture, aresolution of the moving picture, and a playback length of the movingpicture.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when a user of thedevice 1000 enters home from the outside, the server 2000 identifiesexternal devices around the user, and analyzes characteristics ofidentified devices and the information of the task T1 so as to selectthe second external device 4200 that is suitable to continuously playthe moving picture. According to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure, the user of the device 1000 may be wearing the wearabledevice 3000 (e.g., see FIG. 8) on a portion of the body, and thewearable device 3000 may identify external devices located near thewearable device 3000. For example, the second external device 4200 maybe a TV. The server 2000 transmits the user authentication informationand the information about the task T1 to the second external device 4200in operation S1030.

The second external device 4200 provides the content providing server5000 with the user authentication information received from the server2000, and requests from the content providing server 5000 the content ofthe moving picture in operation S1040. The content providing server 5000provides the second external device 4200 with the requested content ofthe moving picture by analyzing the user authentication information inoperation S1050.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the device1000 performs the task T1 of watching the content of the moving picture,the device 1000 transmits user authentication information andinformation about the task T1 to the server 2000, and the server 2000determines the second external device 4200 as an external devicesuitable to continuously watch the content of the moving picture, andthe second external device 4200 may continuously perform the task T1.

Referring to FIG. 10B, the device 1000 may perform a task T2 of writingan email. When performing the task T2, the device 1000 may storeinformation about the email in the content providing server 5000 or sendthe email to another email address via the content providing server5000. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the device1000 may store details of the email that was being written, in thecontent providing server 5000, or transmit user authenticationinformation to the content providing server 5000 in order to send theemail that was being written, in operation S1002. The content providingserver 5000 may analyze the user authentication information receivedfrom the device 1000, and store the details of the email that was beingwritten, based on the user authentication information in operationS1012. The device 1000 transmits the user authentication information andinformation about the task T2 to the server 2000 in operation S1022. Theinformation about the task T2 may include details of the email, pages ofan email to be written later, information about an email address towhich the email is to be sent, or the like.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when a user of thedevice 1000 enters home from the outside, the server 2000 identifiesexternal devices around the user, and analyzes characteristics ofidentified devices and the information of the task T2 so as to selectthe first external device 4100 that is suitable to continuously writethe email. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, theuser of the device 1000 may be wearing the wearable device 3000 (seeFIG. 8) on a portion of the body, and the wearable device 3000 mayidentify external devices located near the wearable device 3000. Forexample, the first external device 4100 may be a laptop computer. Theserver 2000 transmits the user authentication information and theinformation about the task T2 to the first external device 4100 inoperation S1032.

The first external device 4100 provides the content providing server5000 with the user authentication information received from the server2000, and requests from the content providing server 5000 the details ofthe email stored in the content providing server 5000 in operationS1042. The content providing server 5000 analyzes the userauthentication information and provides the first external device 4100with the details of the email that was stored while being written, inoperation S1052.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the device1000 performs the task T2 of writing an email, the device 1000 transmitsuser authentication information and information about the task T2 to theserver 2000, and the server 2000 determines the first external device4100 as an external device suitable to continuously write the email, andthe first external device 4100 may continuously perform the task T2.

Referring to FIG. 10C, the device 1000 may perform a task T3 of playinga game. When performing the task T3, the device 1000 may receive contentof the game from a service providing server 5100. According to anembodiment of the present disclosure, the device 1000 may transmit userauthentication information so that content may be downloaded from theservice providing server 5100, to the service providing server 5100, andrequest the content of the game in S1004. The service providing server5100 may analyze the user authentication information received from thedevice 1000, and provides the device 1000 with the content of the gamebased on the user authentication information in operation S1014. Thedevice 1000 transmits the user authentication information and theinformation about the task T3 to the server 2000 in operation S1024. Theinformation about the task T3 may include, for example, a capacity ofthe game, a resolution of the game, and a progress level of the game.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when a user of thedevice 1000 enters home from the outside, the server 2000 identifiesexternal devices around the user, and analyzes characteristics ofidentified devices and the information of the task T3 so as to selectthe third external device 4300 that is suitable to continuously play thegame. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the user ofthe device 1000 may be wearing the wearable device 3000 (e.g., see FIG.8) on a portion of the body, and the wearable device 3000 may identifyexternal devices located near the wearable device 3000. For example, thethird external device 4300 may be a tablet PC. The server 2000 transmitsthe user authentication information and the information about the taskT3 to the third external device 4300 in operation S1034.

The third external device 4300 provides the service providing server5100 with the user authentication information received from the server2000, and requests from the service providing server 5100 the content ofthe game in operation S1044. The service providing server 5100 analyzesthe user authentication information so as to provide the third externaldevice 4300 with the requested content of the game in operation S1054.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the device1000 performs the task T3 of executing a game, the device 1000 transmitsuser authentication information and information about the task T3 to theserver 2000, and the server 2000 determines the third external device4300 as an external device suitable to continuously play the game, andthe third external device 4300 may continuously perform the task T3. Forexample, the third external device 4300 may continuously play the gamefrom a level at which the game was being played in the device 1000.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a method of providing an external device 4000with information about a task performed by using a device 1000 accordingto an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 11, in operation S1100, the device 1000 storesinformation about a task performed by using the device 1000. The device1000 may perform a task of, for example, playing a moving picture,playing music, writing an email, drafting a document, receiving weatherinformation, displaying news information, executing a game, or taking apicture. The information about the task may include, for example, a typeof the task, a type of a service provided via the task, a type of anapplication operated to perform the task, identification information ofthe device 1000, performance information of the device 1000,authentication information of the user of the task, and a type ofcontent included in the task. The device 1000 may store the informationabout the task in a log storing unit.

In operations S1110 and S1115, the wearable device 3000 transmits ashort range wireless communication signal to each of a plurality ofexternal devices 4000. The short range wireless communication signal mayinclude user authentication information. The user authenticationinformation may include information whereby a user of the wearabledevice 3000 is identifiable. The wearable device 3000 may identify theplurality of wearable devices 4000 located near the wearable device3000. For example, when the first external device 4100 is a common usedevice, the first external device 4100 may receive the userauthentication information so as to be in a state able to receive theinformation about a task of the user of the wearable device 3000.

The short range wireless communication signal may include, for example,a beacon, NFC, ZigBee communication, RFID communication, UWBcommunication, and Bluetooth communication, but is not limited thereto.According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the wearabledevice 3000 may transmit a beacon signal (e.g., a beacon message) toeach of the first external device 4100 and the second external device4200.

In operation S1120 and S1125, the plurality of external devices 4000transmit the user authentication information received from the wearabledevice 3000 and an information value about a distance between each ofthe plurality of external devices 4000 and the wearable device 3000 tothe device 1000. The device 1000 may identify the plurality of externaldevices 4000 located near the wearable device 3000 based on the receivedinformation value of the distance between each of the plurality ofexternal devices 4000 and the wearable device 3000. Also, the device1000 may identify the plurality of external devices 4000 based on theuser authentication information. For example, if the first externaldevice 4100 is a common use device, the user authentication informationis input in operation S1110, and the user authentication information istransmitted to the device 1000 in operation S1120 so that the firstexternal device 4100 is in a state able to receive information about atask from the device 1000.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first externaldevice 4100 may transmit an information value about a distance betweenthe wearable device 3000 and the first external device 4100 to thedevice 1000. Likewise, the second external device 4200 may transmit aninformation value about a distance between the wearable device 3000 andthe second external device 4200 to the device 1000. According to anembodiment of the present disclosure, the first external device 4100 andthe second external device 4200 may transmit the information value aboutthe distance in a wireless manner. For example, the first externaldevice 4100 and the second external device 4200 may transmit theinformation value about the distance to the device 1000 via at least oneof Wi-Fi, data communication via a cellular network, a beacon, NFC,ZigBee communication, RFID communication, UWB communication, andBluetooth communication.

In operation S1130, the device 1000 receives the user authenticationinformation and the information value about the distance with respect tothe wearable device 3000 from each of the plurality of external devices4000 to thereby authenticate the plurality of external devices 4000.According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the device 1000may identify a plurality of external devices 4000 located near thewearable device 3000 based on the information value about the distancebetween each of the plurality of external devices 4000 and the wearabledevice received in operations S1120 and S1125. Also, the device 1000 mayauthenticate the plurality of external devices 4000 based on the userauthentication information received in operations S1120 and S1125. Theauthentication may be a criterion for the device 1000 when selecting anexternal device to which information about a task that was beingperformed by using the device 1000 is to be transmitted.

In operation S1140, the device 1000 determines an external devicesuitable to continuously perform the task that the device 100 wasperforming. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, thedevice 1000 may analyze the information about the task andcharacteristics information of the identified external devices so as todetermine an external device suitable to continuously perform the taskfrom among the plurality of identified external devices 4000. Accordingto an embodiment of the present disclosure, the device 1000 maydetermine the first external device 4100 as an external device that issuitable to continuously perform the task.

In operation S1150, the device 1000 transmits the information about thetask that was being performed by using the device 1000 to the firstexternal device 4100.

In operation S1160, the first external device 4100 continuously performsthe task based on the information about the task received from thedevice 1000. The first external device 4100 may continuously perform thetask that was being performed by using the device 1000.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating a device 1000 according to anembodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 12, the device 1000 may include a controller 1100, auser authentication unit 1200, a communication unit 1300, a sensor unit1400, and a log storing unit 1500. According to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure, the device 1000 may further include an input/outputunit, a camera unit, a GPS receiver, or the like.

The controller 1100 typically controls an overall operation of thedevice 1000. For example, the controller 1100 may execute programsstored in the controller 1100 to thereby control the user authenticationunit 1200, the communication unit 1300, the sensor unit 1400, the logstoring unit 1500 or the like overall. According to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure, the controller 1100 may perform a task of executingan application such as playing a moving picture, playing music, writingan email, executing a game, or receiving news information. Thecontroller 1100 may store device identification information or a modelnumber of the device 1000 or information about characteristics of thedevice 1000 or the like. Also, the controller 1100 may transmitinformation about a task that is being performed by using the device1000 to the server 2000 (see FIG. 1) via the communication unit 1300.According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller1100 may identify a plurality of external devices 4000 (see FIG. 11)located near the device 1000, and may determine an external device thatis suitable to continuously perform the task that was being performed byusing the device 1000 from among the identified external devices.

The user authentication unit 1200 may store authentication informationof a user who is using the device 1000. The user authenticationinformation may be authentication information used to provideinformation about a task performed by using the device 1000 to theplurality of external devices 4000 (see FIG. 1). According to anembodiment of the present disclosure, the user authentication unit 1200may store user authentication information to request from the contentproviding server 5000 (see FIG. 8) content to be used to perform a task.

The communication unit 1300 may perform data communication with theserver 2000 (see FIG. 1) or a cellular network base station via awireless communication method such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, BLE, NFC, RFID,and data communication via a cellular network or via a wiredcommunication method using an optical cable, a UTP cable, or a coaxialcable or the like.

The sensor unit 1400 may include a gravity sensor sensing motion of thedevice 1000, an illuminance sensor sensing luminance of light, a motionsensor sensing motion of the device 1000 or the like. According to anembodiment of the present disclosure, the sensor unit 1400 may include aproximity sensor that identifies an external device located near thedevice 1000.

The log storing unit 1500 may include information about a type of a taskperformed by using the device 1000 or a performance history of the taskor the like. The log storing unit 1500 may store log informationincluding, for example, the number of times of performing a task, a typeof a task performed according to a device type, a type of a servicereceived while performing a task, a type of an application used toperform a task, or URL information for receiving content when a task forreceiving the content is performed.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating a server 2000 according to anembodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 13, the server 2000 may include a data unit 2100 and acontroller 2200.

The data unit 2100 may store data such as information about a taskperformed by using the device 1000 (see FIG. 1) or the plurality ofexternal devices 4000 (see FIG. 1), identification information of thedevice 1000 or each of the plurality of external devices 4000 or thelike. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the dataunit 2100 may store device identification information of the device 1000such as an SSID or a model number. In addition, the data unit 2100 maystore information about a task performed by using the device 1000 suchas a type of a task, a type of a service received while performing atask, a type of an application operated to perform a task,authentication information of a user of a task, a type of contentincluded in a task, capacity information of content, resolutioninformation of content, URL information for receiving content, andinformation about an input device used to perform a task.

The controller 2200 may include an authentication controller 2210, atask synchronization unit 2220, and a proximity controller 2230. Thecontroller 2200 typically controls an overall operation of the server2000. For example, the controller 2200 may control the authenticationcontroller 2210, the task synchronization unit 2220, the proximitycontroller 2230 or the like by executing programs included in the dataunit 2100. Also, the controller 2200 may execute functions describedwith reference to FIGS. 10A through 10C to thereby transmit informationabout a task that was being performed by using the device 1000 (seeFIG. 1) to the external device 4000 (see FIG. 1) so that the task iscontinuously performed by using the plurality of external devices 4000.

The authentication controller 2210 may receive and store userauthentication information of the user of the device 1000. Also, theauthentication controller 2210 may transmit the received userauthentication information to the plurality of external devices 4000.The authentication controller 2210 may receive from the device 1000authentication information used for the user of the device 1000 todownload content via the content providing server 5000 (see FIG. 8), forexample, an ID and password information registered to the contentproviding server 5000, and transmit the same to the plurality ofexternal devices 4000.

The task synchronization unit 2220 may analyze a pattern for performingtask of a user based on a type of a task performed by using the device1000, characteristics of each of the plurality of external devices 4000,and information about a performance history of the task performed usingthe plurality of external devices 4000, and may provide an externaldevice with information about the task that was being performed by usingthe device 1000. The task synchronization unit 2220 may transmit theinformation about the task performed by using the device 1000 to theexternal device so as to synchronize the task with the external deviceso that the task that was being performed by using the device 1000 iscontinuously performed by using the external device.

The proximity controller 2230 may receive information about a distancebetween the wearable device 3000 and the wearable device 3000, whereinthe information is transmitted by the plurality of external devices 4000that have received a short range wireless communication signal from thewearable device 3000 (see FIG. 1). The proximity controller 2230 mayreceive the information about the distance and identify the plurality ofexternal devices 4000 located near the wearable device 3000.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating a wearable device 3000 accordingto an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 14, the wearable device 3000 may include acommunication unit 3100 and a controller 3200. According to anembodiment of the present disclosure, the wearable device 3000 mayfurther include a memory unit, a display unit, and a sensor unit.

The communication unit 3100 may include, for example, a beaconcommunication module, an NFC communication module, a ZigBeecommunication module, a Bluetooth communication module, or a mobilecommunication module. The communication unit 310 may transmit a shortrange wireless communication signal to the plurality of external devices4000 (see FIG. 1) located near the wearable device 3000. According to anembodiment of the present disclosure, the short range wirelesscommunication signal may include a beacon, NFC, ZigBee communication,RFID communication, UWB communication, and Bluetooth communication.

The controller 3200 typically controls an overall operation of thewearable device 3000. The controller 3200 may include a data unit thatstores user authentication information whereby a user of the wearabledevice 3000 is identifiable.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram illustrating an external device 4000according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 15, the external device 4000 may include acommunication unit 4150 and a controller 4250.

The communication unit 4150 may receive from the wearable device 3000 ashort range wireless communication signal for identifying the externaldevice 4000 located near the wearable device 3000 and may transmit tothe server 2000 an information value about a distance between the device4000 and the wearable device 3000. According to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure, the communication unit 4150 may transmit deviceidentification information of the external device 4000 to the server2000. The device identification information may include information suchas an SSID or a model number. The communication unit 4150 may receiveinformation about a task that was being performed by using the device1000.

The controller 4250 typically controls an overall operation of theexternal device 4000. According to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure, the controller 4250 may analyze the information about thetask received by the communication unit 4150 to thereby continuouslyperform the task that was being performed by using the device 1000.

An embodiment of the present disclosure may also be realized in a formof a recording medium having recorded thereon commands executable by acomputer, such as a program module executed by a computer. Anon-transitory computer-readable recording medium may be an arbitraryavailable medium accessible by a computer, and may be any one ofvolatile, nonvolatile, separable, and non-separable media. Also,examples of the non-transitory computer-readable recording medium mayinclude a computer storage medium and a communication medium. Examplesof the computer storage medium include volatile, nonvolatile, separable,and non-separable media realized by an arbitrary method or technologyfor storing information about a computer-readable command, a datastructure, a program module, or other data. The communication medium mayinclude a computer-readable command, a data structure, a program module,other data of a modulated data signal, such as carrier waves, or othertransmission mechanisms, and may be an arbitrary informationtransmission medium.

While the present disclosure has been particularly shown and describedwith reference to embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those ofordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details maybe made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of thepresent disclosure as defined by the appended claims. The variousembodiments should be considered in a descriptive sense only and not forpurposes of limitation. For example, each element described as a singletype may be distributed, and similarly, elements described to bedistributed may be combined.

It should be understood that various embodiments described herein shouldbe considered in a descriptive sense only and not for purposes oflimitation. Descriptions of features or aspects within each embodimentshould typically be considered as available for other similar featuresor aspects in other various embodiments.

While the present disclosure has been shown and described with referenceto various embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilledin the art that various changes in form and details may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure asdefined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of providing an external device withinformation about a task being performed by a user device, wherein themethod is performed by using a server, the method comprising: receiving,by the server, information about the task being performed by the userdevice; identifying a plurality of external devices located near awearable device of a user of the user device; determining a firstexternal device to continuously perform the task from among theplurality of external devices based on the information about the taskand characteristics information about the identified external devices;and transmitting the information about the task to the first externaldevice.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying of theplurality of external devices comprises identifying a plurality ofexternal devices located near the wearable device, by receivinginformation about distances between the wearable device and theplurality of external devices, the information about distances beingreceived from the plurality of external devices that have received ashort range wireless communication signal from the wearable device. 3.The method of claim 2, wherein the information about the distancesbetween the wearable device and the plurality of external devices isreceived from the plurality of external devices via a wirelesscommunication signal that is different from the short range wirelesscommunication signal.
 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the informationabout the distances between the wearable device and the plurality ofexternal devices is obtained based on short range wireless communicationsignals transmitted by the plurality of external devices and received bythe wearable device, wherein a distance is calculable from each shortrange wireless communication signal.
 5. The method of claim 2, whereinthe information about the distances between the wearable device and theplurality of external devices further comprises device identificationinformation of each of the plurality of external devices.
 6. The methodof claim 2, wherein the information about the distances between thewearable device and the plurality of external devices further comprisesinformation indicating whether each of the plurality of external devicesis on an active status for receiving the information about the task andfor performing a function related to the task.
 7. The method of claim 2,wherein the short range wireless communication signal comprisesauthentication information for identifying the user.
 8. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the information about the task performed by the userdevice comprises information about a type of a task performed by theuser device and history information about an external device thatperformed the task.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining ofthe first external device is performed by analyzing a pattern forperforming the task based on the type of the task and the historyinformation of the external device that performed the task.
 10. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising continuously performing the taskincluded in the information about the task by using the first externaldevice.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the continuously performingof the task comprises: transmitting user authentication informationneeded to receive content related to the task from a content providingserver to the first external device; receiving the content from thecontent providing server by using the user authentication information;and executing the content.
 12. A non-transitory computer readablerecording medium having embodied thereon a program for executing on acomputer the method of claim
 1. 13. A system for transmittinginformation about a task being performed, between different devices, thesystem comprising: a user device configured to perform a task; aplurality of external devices located near a user who is using the userdevice; and a server configured to: receive information about the taskbeing performed by the user device, and transmit the information aboutthe task to one of the plurality of external devices, wherein the serverdetermines one of the plurality of external devices as a first externaldevice to continuously perform the task based on the information aboutthe task and characteristics information of each of the plurality ofexternal devices.
 14. The system of claim 13, further comprising awearable device worn and used by the user, wherein the wearable deviceidentifies the plurality of external devices located near the wearabledevice.
 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the wearable devicetransmits a short range wireless communication signal to the pluralityof external devices located near the wearable device.
 16. The system ofclaim 15, wherein the plurality of external devices receive the shortrange wireless communication signal from the wearable device, andcalculate distances between the wearable device and the plurality ofexternal devices and transmit information about the distances to theserver.
 17. The system of claim 13, wherein the server comprises: acontroller configured to determine the first external device byanalyzing a task performing pattern of the user based on a type of thetask and history information about an external device that performed thetask.
 18. The system of claim 13, wherein the first external devicecontinuously performs the task according to the received informationabout the task.
 19. A method of providing an external device withinformation about a task being performed by a user device, the methodcomprising: storing information about the task being performed by theuser device; identifying a plurality of external devices located nearthe user device; determining a first external device suitable tocontinuously perform the task from among the identified plurality ofexternal devices based on the information about the task andcharacteristics of the identified external devices; and transmitting theinformation about the task to the first external device.